New attractions big hits at Stars & Stripes

John McCrea of Cake at Stars and Stripes Festival. Photo by Ken Settle

If you're coming down to the Stars & Stripes Festival today, you can have your fortune told, get close to a 425-pound white tiger, ride inside of a Monster Truck, receive a free mini chair massage, watch bike stunt exhibitions, meet Cinderella, eat fish and chips, go on a ride, or check out a band.

And that's only a few of the things available at the festival in its debut weekend at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights, following a six-year run in downtown Mount Clemens.

Among those following the outdoor festival to its new home on Saturday were the McGillivary family of Berkley, as Michael and Jamie McGillivary and their 7-year-old daughter, Grace, along with her friend, Kaylee Harper, were anxious to visit the site.

They're big fans of Bobo and Gilligan, the race monkeys who ride dogs in the Banana Derby. Every year, the family attends the event to have their annual "family picture" taken with the capuchin primates.

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"We come out to see Bobo every year and have our family picture taken with him," Jamie McGillivary said. "He's so cute."

Her husband added: "It's a monkey riding a dog -- what more can I say?"

Although they were just arriving at the festival, the McGillivary family gave a thumbs-up to the new location.

Now in its seventh year, the festival opened its three-day run on Friday under gray skies and a persistent drizzle that turned into a heavy rain in the evening hours, turning the grass grounds into a muddy mess.

Despite the downpour, however, hundreds of music fans endured the elements to stick around and enjoy the live music from Randy Travis, Collective Soul, King's X and others.

At one point, there was talk of canceling Collective Soul's 10:30 p.m. show due to the downpour, but the band wanted to play as at least 1,000 people waited in the free area by the Budweiser National Stage. Funfest Productions, festival promoters, decided to let the entire crowd down to the VIP paid area, as a gesture of thanks to the fans.

Fans such as Joe Mackiewicz of Warren, who attended with his girlfriend, Jodi Hughes, applauded the move on Facebook.

On Saturday, it was a dramatically different scene with streams of families entering the festival grounds under mostly sunny skies.

Huge crowds formed around the Fearless Flores Circus Show featuring motorcycle riders in the "Globe of Death" while the BMX stunt show also was a big draw.

Funfest spokesman Joe Nieporte said promoters "took a beating" in terms of revenue on Friday due to the weather, but added things were looking better on Saturday with people shopping at the various vending booths, taking in the free attractions and enjoying the live concerts.

"Today we're seeing tons of people and all of the attractions are seeing huge audiences," Nieporte said. "I think more than in the past, people this year are coming to see our attractions. We're more than just a music festival."

Even the bands seemed a little peppier on Saturday.

"I'm so tired, but I made it to Freedom Hill today, through the rain and through the traffic and we're here to rock you," said Rockin' Robert, the energetic lead singer of the band Lixx, as they performed on the Budweiser National Stage.

Animals on display were a big hit. The festival has a petting zoo, the Banana Derby, and a Classic K9 demonstration. But guest were enthralled with the majesty and strength of the Royal White Tiger Discovery Exhibit, which features two adult white tigers -- including 425-pound Kozmo and Gita, a 320-pound female -- and two cubs.

White tigers are becoming increasingly more extinct and seeing them in person may create empathy not for the tigers but for "all wildlife," said spokesman Marcus Cook. Asked if he had ever been injured by the large tigers, Cook said it's an "industry hazard."

"I've been kicked, hit and bitten more times than I care to recall," he said. "That's part of being an animal handler. But it's because the tigers don't know their own strength. They were never trying to hurt me.